Sensitivity control of optical fiber biosensors utilizing turnaround point long period gratings with self-assembled polymer coatings

Erika Gifford; Z. Wang; S. Ramachandran; J. R. Heflin

doi:10.1117/12.734392

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12 September 2007 Sensitivity control of optical fiber biosensors utilizing turnaround point long period gratings with self-assembled polymer coatings

Erika Gifford, Z. Wang, S. Ramachandran, J. R. Heflin

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Proceedings Volume 6659, Organic-based Chemical and Biological Sensors; 66590D (2007) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734392
Event: Photonic Devices + Applications, 2007, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

Ionic self-assembled multilayers (ISAMs) adsorbed on long period fiber gratings (LPGs) can serve as an inexpensive, robust, portable, biosensor platform. The ISAM technique is a layer-by-layer deposition technique that creates thin films on the nanoscale level. The combination of ISAMs with LPGs yields exceptional sensitivity of the optical fiber transmission spectrum. We have shown theoretically that the resonant wavelength shift for a thin-film coated LPG can be caused by the variation of the film's refractive index and/or the variation of the thickness of the film. We have experimentally demonstrated that the deposition of nm-thick ISAM films on LPGs induces shifts in the resonant wavelength of > 1.6 nm per nm of thin film. It has also been shown that the sensitivity of the LPG to the thickness of the ISAM film increases with increased film thickness. We have further demonstrated that ISAM-coated LPGs can function effectively as biosensors by using the biotin-streptavidin system and by using the Bacillus anthracis (Anthrax) antibody- PA (Protective Antigen) system. Experiments have been successfully performed in both air and solution, which illustrates the versatility of the biosensor. The results confirm that ISAM-LPGs yield a reusable, thermally-stable, and robust platform for designing and building efficient optical biosensors.

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Erika Gifford, Z. Wang, S. Ramachandran, and J. R. Heflin "Sensitivity control of optical fiber biosensors utilizing turnaround point long period gratings with self-assembled polymer coatings", Proc. SPIE 6659, Organic-based Chemical and Biological Sensors, 66590D (12 September 2007); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.734392

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